Ferguson claims inaugural surf lifesaving title

Olympian Steven Ferguson added another chapter to his
illustrious sporting career at the New Zealand surf lifesaving
championships at Ohope Beach, Whakatane, today.

The 33-year-old former swimmer and kayaker, a veteran of four
Olympic games, finally captured his first individual national title
in his third sport, romping to victory in the run-swim-run final on
the first day of the championships.

Ferguson, now the head-coach at the Piha club, admitted it was a
proud moment.

"This is my fourth nationals and I've won a few teams medals but
this is my first individual win so I'm pretty happy," Ferguson
said. "Hopefully there are still a few more to come over the
weekend."

He'll get the chance too, qualifying for Sunday's
ultra-competitive men's ski final alongside some of the fastest
kayakers in the country, as well as lining up in the surf race
final and ironman heats later in the weekend.

Ferguson's New Zealand representative teammate Devon Halligan
also made a strong start, winning the open women's run-swim-run for
Midway, with Natalie Peat (Papamoa) second after earlier winning
the under-19 title. Halligan's younger brother Cooper (Mount
Maunganui) nearly made it a notable double but was out-sprinted by
Omanu's Ben Cochrane in the under-19 men's run-swim-run.

There was a controversial end to the open men's beach flags
final, with Midway's Connor O'Loughlin disqualified in the final
and settling for second - albeit after a protest - behind Papamoa's
Kodi Harman.

Harman is a top New Zealand track sprinter looking to make the
Commonwealth Games later this year in the 4x100m relay, boasting a
best time of 10.42secs, but his first national flags title was
still a special moment.

"I got a bit lucky but this is a pretty cool feeling, especially
as I've been battling a few niggles and trying to keep on top of my
track stuff," Harman, who will try for his fourth beach sprint
title tomorrow, said.

Equally notable was Red Beach's Naomi Young, who beat Fitzroy's
Katie Watts in the women's beach flags final, just 11 months after
the birth of her first child.

The 30-year-old also backed up after winning her first national
masters title a day earlier.

"I've won individual sprint titles at under-16 level and won
relay titles as a team but this is the trifecta for me - I've been
waiting a long time," Young said.

Fitzroy's fleet-footed sprinters also picked up wins in the
under-16 men's (Javon McCallum) and under-19 women's finals, where
another national track sprinter, Zoe Hobbs, headed home Waikanae's
Casie Fyall.